Spiraea ‘DAVCOP01’

ABSTRACT

‘DAVCOP01’ is a new cultivar of hybrid Spiraea with distinctive copper emerging foliage. Plants are compact and attractively rounded. Summer foliage is bright yellow-green, this bright coloration is maintained throughout the Summer. The new variety is a Spiraea normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Spiraea japonica x bumalda.

Title: Spiraea ‘DAVCOP01’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct hybrid Spiraeacultivar hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘DAVCOP01’. Thisnew Spiraea was developed through a breeding program in Angers, France.‘DAVCOP01’ was selected from a population of seedlings grown from acontrolled cross. The controlled cross was made July of 2010. The seedparent is Spiraea japonica ‘Baicarol’, unpatented. The pollen parent isSpiraea bumalda ‘Denistar’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,432. The first asexualpropagation of ‘DAVCOP01’ was carried out in May 2014 by rooting stemcuttings at a research nursery in Angers, France, and has been asexuallyreproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings over a 5-year period.‘DAVCOP01’ has been found to retain its distinctive characteristicsthrough successive asexual propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the unique combination of characteristics of this newcultivar when grown under standard horticultural practices at a researchgreenhouse in Angers, France.

-   -   1. Very round plants.    -   2. Copper colored emerging foliage.    -   3. Bright yellow-green foliage, maintain this color all Summer.    -   4. Some resistance to powdery mildew.

COMPARISON TO PARENTAL VARIETIES

‘DAVCOP01’ is similar to its female parent in most horticulturalcharacteristics, however, the new variety differs in the following:

-   -   1. Coloration of the emerging foliage of ‘DAVCOP01’ is bronze,        coloration of the emerging foliage of the seed parent is light        yellow-green.    -   2. Mature foliage color of the new variety is bright        yellow-green, the mature foliage color of the seed parent is        green.    -   3. Peduncles of the new variety are darker than those of the        seed parent.

‘DAVCOP01’ is similar to its male parent in most horticulturalcharacteristics, however, the new variety differs in the following:

-   -   1. Plant habit of the new variety is overall smaller, more        compact and rounder than that of the pollen parent.    -   2. Mature foliage color of the new variety is bright light        yellow-green, mature foliage color of the pollen parent is        green.    -   3. Flower color of the new variety is darker pink than flower        color of the pollen parent.

COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘DAVCOP01’ can be compared to the commercial variety Spiraea‘Goldflame’, unpatented. The two Spiraea are similar in mosthorticultural characteristics. The new variety, however differs in thefollowing:

-   -   1. The new variety is more compact, and forms rounder plant than        this comparator.    -   2. Foliage of the new variety is smaller than that of this        comparator.    -   3. Coloration of the emerging foliage of ‘DAVCOP01’ is a deeper,        more pronounced bronze color than that of this comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This new Spiraea is illustrated by the accompanying photographs whichshow the plant's form, foliage and inflorescences. The colors shown areas true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographicprocedures. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description, which accuratelydescribe the colors of the new hybrid Spiraea.

FIG. 1 is a color photograph showing a plant of ‘DAVCOP01’ in Angers,France during late April 2018, with emerging foliage coloration. Theplant is approximately 2.5 years old, planted in the ground.

FIG. 2 is a of the same plant as FIG. 1, approximately 4 to 6 weekslater with early Summer foliage and inflorescences developing.

FIG. 3 is a color photograph showing a close-up view of emergingfoliage.

FIG. 4 shows inflorescences and mature foliage of ‘DAVCOP01’ in Angers,France.

FIG. 5 is a of the same plant as FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, with late Summerfoliage and more developed inflorescences.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the botanical characteristicsof the new and distinct hybrid Spiraea known by the denomination‘DAVCOP01’. The detailed description was taken on a three-year-oldfield-grown plant in Angers, France. All colors cited herein refer toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (The Royal HorticulturalSociety (R.H.S.), London, 2007 Edition. Where specific dimensions,sizes, colors, and other characteristics are given, it is to beunderstood that such characteristics are approximations or averages setforth as accurately as practicable.

-   Botanical classification: Spiraea japonica x bumalda ‘DAVCOP01’.-   Plant description:    -   -   Habit.—Rounded/mounded woody deciduous shrub.        -   Height.—About 75 cm.        -   Width.—About 95 cm.-   Branches: Average 4 per main stem.    -   -   Lateral branch diameter.—1 to 1.5 cm.        -   Lateral branch length.—40 to 65 cm.        -   Internode length.—1 to 2 cm.        -   Branch color.—Immature: RHS Greyed-Purple 183A. Mature: RHS            Greyed-Orange 178C.        -   Branch texture.—Finely striated.-   Leaves:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Persistence.—Deciduous.        -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Margins.—Serrate to crenate.        -   Color.—Emerging leaves, upper surface: RHS Greyed-Purple            185A, lower surface: 183B. Young leaves: upper surface: RHS            Greyed-Orange N167B flushed Greyed-Purple 183B. Lower            surface: RHS Greyed-Orange N167C flushed 183C. Mature            leaves: Upper and lower surface RHS Yellow-Green N144B.            Texture: Glabrous. Length of lamina: Average 3.0 cm. Width:            Average 2.3 cm.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Vein color.—Emerging leaves, upper surface: RHS            Greyed-Purple 185A, lower surface: 183A. Young leaves: upper            surface: RHS Greyed-Purple 183B. Lower surface: Greyed-Red            181A. Mature leaves: Mid Veins Upper surface: RHS            Yellow-Green 144. Mid Veins Lower surface: RHS Greyed-Orange            N172D. Lateral Veins: Upper and lower surface RHS            Yellow-Green N144B.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Petiole.—Length: Average 5 to 7 mm. Diameter: 1 mm. Color:            Emerging leaves: RHS Greyed-Purple 185A. Young leaves: RHS            Greyed-Red 180B. Mature leaves: RHS Yellow-Green N144B.            Texture: Glabrous.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Description.—Single whorled, rotate flowers arranged on a            terminal corymb.        -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—About 120 to 200.        -   Flowering season.—Spring and Summer in Angers, France.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—7-8 cm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 5 cm.        -   Bud.—Shape: Globular. Length: about 2 mm. Diameter: about            2 mm. Color: Greyed-Purple N187A.        -   Flower.—Diameter: about 5 to 6 mm. Height: About 3 mm.            Flower aspect: Upward and outwardly facing.        -   Petal.—Arrangement: Whorl. Number: 5. Fused: Not fused.            Texture: Glabrous, all surfaces. Shape: Orbicular Margin:            Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse. Length: 2 to 3 mm.            Width: about 2 mm. Color when opening. Upper surface: RHS            Red-Purple 71B. Lower surface: Near RHS Purple 77C, margin            77A. Color at maturity: Upper surface: RHS Red-Purple 70A.            Lower surface: Near RHS Purple 77B, margin 77A. Color when            fading: Upper surface: RHS Red-Purple 70C, margins 70B.            Lower surface: Near RHS Purple 77D, margin 77B.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Cup-shaped with five lobes. Length: About            3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.        -   Sepal.—Arrangement: Single whorl. Number: 5. Texture:            Pubescent along margins. Shape: Acute. Margin: Entire. Apex:            Acute. Base: Fused. Color: Near RHS Green 137B margins            lightly flushed Purple 77A. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width:            About 1 mm.        -   Peduncle.—Length: About 1.9 to 3.8 mm. Diameter: About 8 to            10 mm. Color: Near RHS Greyed-Purple 183C. Texture:            Glabrous.        -   Pedicels.—Length: 5 to 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Color:            Near RHS Greyed-Purple 185B. Texture: Glabrous.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil number: 5. Pistil length: 3 mm. Stigma            shape: linear. Stigma color: Near RHS Purple N77A. Style            length: 2 mm. Style color: Near RHS Purple 77C. Ovary color:            Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C.        -   Androecium.—Stamen number: 10 to 20. Anther shape: Linear.            Anther size: 1 mm. Anther color: Near RHS Red-Purple 71A.            Filament length: 3 to 5 mm. Filament color: Near RHS            Red-Purple 70B. Amount of pollen: Scant. Pollen color: RHS            Purple 76D.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Fruit and seed: Not observed to date.-   Disease and insect resistance: Some tolerance for powdery mildew    observed. Neither resistance nor susceptibility to other normal    diseases and pests has been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: USDA Zones 4 to 8. Cold hardy to at least    −25° C.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct hybrid Spiraea plant named‘DAVCOP01’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.